Must I Float Away?
by Conjuring Rain
Summary: Miles Tails Prower is still hurting from Cosmo's death. He blames himself and is in deep depression. All he wants is to see Cosmo's smile again, to hear her voice, and to just be with her again. So he lets the river of rue and woe take him away. However, unfortunately, his plans are ruined by someone he least expected to see.


**Note: **Hello. I just wanted to inform you all about one thing. This isn't my first Sonic the Hedgehog story that I have posted on this site. It is one of the several I had written and posted on here. I deleted all of the others some time ago. Anyway, I hope you all take the time to read this story and I hope you all enjoy it.

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**Must I Float Away?**

Miles Tails Prower sighed depressingly, staring off into the symmetrical night. He stood in front of a river that moved rather quickly, but also soothingly. The sound of the rushing river calmed the fox for only a short while. However, once the calmness passed, he became much more rueful and sorrowful.

He couldn't stop thinking about Cosmo.

He blamed himself since he practically _killed_ her. He knew it was the only way, but he wished he could've thought about it more before he had done it. He was hurting more than anybody, more than Sonic. Tails just wanted to be with Cosmo again. He wanted to see her smile, her eyes, hear her voice once more.

Tails wanted to be with her again and so he shall.

He removed his gloves, shoes, and socks and neatly sat them near the river. Then he slowly slipped into it, not caring how cold it was or how empty he felt inside at the moment.

Tails moved onto his back as the river swept him away, carrying him off to an endless road of nothingness. This nothingness is filled with remorse and that remorse dragged him down the river, hugging him tightly and never wanting to release him.

However, Tails didn't mind.

He allowed the horrid emotions to carry him down the river of sorrow, towards the road of rue and woe.

Tails wanted this.

He deserves it, he thinks.

"Cosmo…" He sighs sadly. "I'm sorry. But I'm going to see you again eventually…just you wait for me…just you wait…"

The poor fox closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath, wanting it to be over soon, _hoping_ the cold river would hurry and take him to that road, to that _place_ beyond the road.

Where Cosmo is waiting for him.

But…must he float away?

However, his journey was stopped short.

He felt a gloved hand grab onto his arm, hauling him out of the water with a violent jerk.

Tails yelped as he was dropped to the ground. He looked up, seeing someone he least expected to see.

Shadow the Hedgehog.

He stared down at him coldly, his eyes narrowed.

"What were you doing?" Shadow wanted to know, his voice as cold as his stare.

Tails was speechless, at a loss for words. Suddenly, he forgot how to speak, how to form words. He let out small noises that sounded like gibberish to Shadow's ears, which it was.

It was only gibberish, nothing.

"What were you doing?" Shadow repeated icily.

Tails stared at him dumbly; still unable to find the words he once knew how to speak. He felt like a newborn baby, his words disabled.

Shadow let out a long, weary, and annoyed sigh through his mouth. He crossed his arms over his chest, studying the fox intently with his eyes.

Then he tried again, his tone much more dangerous.

"_What were you doing, Tails_?" He queried, growling a bit.

A choked gasp escaped Tails' lips and all the words he had been longing for came rushing back to him, entering his soul and verbal cords. He blinked a few times, staring right at the black hedgehog.

"I-I was…" Tails whispered, contemplating on his past actions.

What _was_ he doing?

"You were _what_?" Shadow demanded to know, getting much angrier by the second.

Tails closed his eyes and breathed through his nose, calming himself. He knew now what he had been trying to do.

He had been trying to throw away his life.

He was going to give it all up just to see Cosmo again.

Tails opened his eyes and stared right into Shadow's red ones. Then, he spoke, "I was going to end my life."

Shadow was silent for a very long moment.

Tails began to wonder if he was angry.

"You're an idiot." Shadow finally talked, an untellable expression crawling onto his features.

Tails looked up, surprised. "Eh…huh…?"

"Do you really think Cosmo would want you to end your life?" Shadow questioned him seriously, choleric. "No! She wouldn't! She would want you to live on, to be happy!"

Tails was shocked, still staring at Shadow.

"You have _friends_, Tails!" Shadow shouted at him. "No! They aren't just your friends; they are your _family_!"

Again, all the words Tails once knew were all vanishing, going back into hiding within his self.

"If you die, how would they feel?" Shadow questioned. "Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. How would you feel if _Sonic_ killed himself?" He asked him.

Tails could not speak. The words were lost.

But he _did_ know how he would feel if Sonic killed himself. He would be really sad. He loved Sonic like a brother and wouldn't want that. He couldn't live without Sonic. Heck, he couldn't live without _any_ his friends!

Shadow seemed to calm down a bit. "Maria's gone," He finally said. "Do you see me ending _my_ life?"

Tails slowly shook his head.

"Your life is very important," Shadow tells him, his voice dead serious. "Don't get rid of it for _anything_. You _will_ see Cosmo again someday, but not right now. You're just going to have to wait until the time comes."

Then everything went silent.

Tails thought about Shadow's words long and hard. He knew the black hedgehog was right, but how could he go on without Cosmo?

_No. Cosmo would want to see me happy. I can go on. I have the strength to go on. I have my friends…I have everybody._ Tails contemplated to himself.

"You understand me?" Shadow suddenly asked.

A smile formed on the fox's lips and he looked up at Shadow, suddenly feeling happy and relieved.

"I understand, Shadow," Tails finally said, finding those words again. "Thank you."

Satisfied, Shadow took a step back from Tails, his expression turning cold once again.

Tails got to his feet, dusting himself off, shivering a bit from the cold. "But I do wonder about something." He spoke again, looking very thoughtful.

"What?" Shadow queried.

"It was very uncharacteristic of you to help me out like this. I'm quite shocked. What were you doing out here in the first place anyway?" Tails questioned him. "I'm not complaining or anything, don't worry. I appreciate your help. I just want to know…why?"

"Everyone's looking for you," Shadow responded. "I wasn't participating in their search, but I just went out to think and to take a walk. I saw you in that river. I knew you were still upset about Cosmo, so I assumed that you were trying to kill yourself, which was correct."

Tails nodded and smiled again. "Thanks, Shadow."

Shadow didn't say anything more and used Chaos Control, disappearing from sight.

Tails stood there for a long moment before looking up into the black, empty ocean that is the endless, starry sky.

"Don't worry, Cosmo," He spoke calmly, his voice as soft as the harmonious wind. "One day we'll be reunited."


End file.
